Tobe's Run
by vreader
Summary: Tobe runs from Haven to Fort Mastiff for help


A short story set during Protector of the Small, Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce  
  
The Scanrans attacked at mid-morning with forces that would eventually overrun Haven.  
  
About noon Master Zamiel turned to Tobe and said, "Tobe, go see if you can get help."  
  
Tobe nodded and ran to the stables, grabbing a canteen he dived into the dark opening in the stable floor, the sounds of the mid-morning battle echoing in his ears as he ran, following the dogs and cats, through to the end of the tunnel. Reaching the end he paused and quickly checked the ground outside for the enemy, seeing none he slipped out through the magic illusion concealing the entrance to the tunnel and into the brush. Looking back he could see smoke from the compound. He was moving carefully as he made his way into the trees, out of sight of the compound and the attacking force he started to run.  
  
Following the animals through the brush he was led to a game trail that headed in the direction he needed to go. Dropping into a ground devouring lope he moved almost silently through the trees, the dogs leading and bringing up the rear  
  
A sparrow flew down the trail and in front of him it flew the pattern that meant danger approaching.  
  
He warned the dogs with a low whistle that the dogs has learned to mean hide/quiet, then moved off the game trail into the undergrowth of the forest.  
  
Finding a place where he could see a section of the game trail he concealed himself in the ground cover, one of the larger dogs lay down beside him.  
  
He waited and listened, the faint sound of metal on metal could be heard. The dog sounded a low growl and the boy quietly warned it "Shush."  
  
He watched as a Scanran patrol moved down the game trail toward Haven.  
  
He continued to lay still until the sparrows came and indicated the path was clear. He decided to move parallel to the game trail for a while just in case. He moved at a fast jog, a pace he could keep up for a long time, he hoped he could keep it up for long enough.  
  
After a while of fighting the branches and under growth, Tobe moved back onto the game trail were he could move faster and quieter, depending on the birds for warnings.  
  
After two hours of running alternating with fast walking he stopped at a small stream to refill his canteen and catch his breath. As he sat, massaging his legs, two of the dogs sat flanking him while others drank their fill, some of the smaller dogs had gone back toward Haven and none of the cats had stayed with him, knowing they would be unable to help him, they had been concerned with their human friends in the refugee fort and had stayed to help as best they could.  
  
Tobe stood and flexed his legs, strapping the canteen around his waist he looked at the dogs, "Time to go." He said.  
  
They waded through the small stream and he moved at a walk for a few minutes then started to jog. "I'm never going to let the lady out of my sight ever again." He thought.  
  
The game trail turned away from the direction he needed to go and he had to go back to fighting the forest undergrowth to keep to his direction.  
  
He fell, tripping over a root and tears washed a path down his cheeks, getting to his feet he was forced to slow his pace due to the uneven footing and he gave the whistle that called the sparrows. When the birds arrived he said to them, "I need to find another path that heads toward Fort Mastiff in the west." The birds scattered and Tobe started moving again.  
  
"NEVER AGAIN!" he thought angrily.  
  
The sparrows came back and indicated that they had located something, Tobe followed the sparrows to a overgrown foot path.  
  
Checking the path Tobe could see that it probably had not been used since the war with Scanran had started, it appeared to be a path made by the woodworker of the area to harvest the special trees they used in the fancy woodwork they were noted for. It wasn't as smooth as a game trail because of the ruts caused by the lumber skids used to drag the cut trees. Weeds were encroaching on the path and he could see that if he stayed to one side, out of the ruts, he could move faster. He started west on the path. After about an hour on the path he came to an abandoned lumber camp, scouting it carefully and finding no signs of life he went to the well and after checking the water and finding it good he drank and refilled the canteen. Scrounging for food he found a overgrown garden, it was clear that the crops had been planted before the war force the abandonment of the camp and the plants, even untended had managed to survive and produce some stunted vegetables, he was able to find enough ripe vegetables to eat a light meal.  
  
Tobe was getting tired, since Haven and Fort Mastiff were locate in the Grimhold Mountains on the north border of Tortall the ground he was moving over was far from flat. The game paths he had used wandered in the mountains taking the easiest path but that added to the length of the journey.  
  
As the sky started to dim with the setting sun he reached the Great North Road. Carefully he checked the road north and south. Nothing moved in either direction and there were not fresh horse dropping on the road to indicated recent traffic.  
  
Crossing the road he headed into the forest, the sparrows lead him to another path winding uphill to the west.  
  
Slowed to a walk by the terrain Tobe started to remember the first time he met the Lady, in the stable, when she had stopped his master from beating him. Then she forced his master to sell his indenture to her. She had had him healed by her Knight healer friend Neal, bought him clothing and shoes and then fed him better that he had ever been fed. The next morning he told her that she was stuck with him, he wasn't leaving her.  
  
"I will never let her leave me again." He thought.  
  
As the sun set the sparrows came to him and indicated distress, Tobe watched for a short while and the said, "You can't help me after dark, can you?" The sparrows indicated no. Then a large white owl flew into view and landed on a branch. Tobe looked up at in in wonder, he had never seen a bird so large before.  
  
"Are you one of the Wild Mage's friends?" he asked.  
  
The owl hooted softly and bobbed its head up and down.  
  
"Can you help me get to Fort Mastiff, the large human nest to the west of here?" He asked as the pointed to the west.  
  
Again the owl bobbed its head up and down.  
  
Tobe turned to the sparrows and said, "Thank you for your help."  
  
As the light faded Tobe moved slower and slower and when it got fully dark it was impossible for Tobe to see, what little light that came from the stars didn't get through the forest canopy and Tobe was forced to use his spear as a probe to feel his way through the trees.  
  
He felt his way slowly through the forest for two hours until the moon came up, it was a full moon and enough moonlight filtered down through the trees that Tobe was able to move back into his run/walk pace guided by the owl.  
  
It was nearing midnight when he stumbled onto the road that ran beside the Vassa River not far from Fort Mastiff.  
  
Tobe ran a fast as his exhausted body would let him up to the gates of the fort.  
  
The guards stopped him at the gate and he managed to make them understand that Haven was under attack and he had to see Lady Keladry of Mindelan. The gate guards handed him over to the seargent of the guard who took him to see Lord Wyldon. Wyldon listened to what Tobe had to say and then sent for Kel.  
  
When Kel arrived Wyldon was helping Tobe drink from a large mug. Seeing Kel at the door Tobe turned loose of the mug and scrambled across the room with a cry of "Lady!" and hugged her around the waist.  
  
Authors note: The rest of this story can be found in Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce. 


End file.
